Inspired by the "What are you listening to right now?" thread, let's see what people are up to in the world of letters. Anything and everything welcome, from interesting essays by Orwell to epic poems by Milton to Glamour magazine.

I'm making my way through Dickens' Nicholas Nickleby at the moment with an edition which uses font so small that it makes your eyes bleed as much as the brain does as Dickens' sentences, not distastefully but rather untastefully with a dash of that power which few men are instilled with in Barsetshire Street, wind on for great length, as they make it clear that their creator, educated by the people and most certainly a man of the people, despite his flaws, was paid by the word.

Inspired by the "What are you listening to right now?" thread, let's see what people are up to in the world of letters.

Great Idea! I've tried reading Dickens, but i've never been able to get very far into any of the ones i've tried so far.

I'm currently reading Man of Honour, by Iain Gale (hardback, with LARGE print). It's about a young Lieutenant in The War of the Spanish Succession who is given a mission by the Duke of Marlborough that, if unsuccessful, could destroy both him and his army.

I'm not sure if I like it to be honest. It's fairly wooden, and while reasonably accurate, some errors are unforgivable for a writer of military fiction (it references the Land Pattern Musket, for instance, which wasn't invented until the 1720s, and this set before the Battle of Blenheim, in 1704).

Other than that, it's a reasonable read. But I think i'll stick to Cornwell in future.

I'm reading "The Sword of Truth" series by Terry Goodkind. The books were recommended to me by Jae who is reading them now because of Jimbo, AKA THE Point Man.

Currently, I'm on the second book of the series, "Stone of Tears." They're pretty good, but I'm still at an early point in the series.

I'm also reading "The Noble Dead Saga," by Barb and J.C. Hendee, having just read the latest of the series and waiting for January of 2010 for the next one. They are awesome books and I recommend them to anyone who is a fan of dark fantasy and Vampires.

Anyone here read Ken Follett's The Pillars of the Earth? Hands down the best book I've ever read, easy. I highly recommend it to all of you.

It takes place in the 11th century, and tells the story of the construction of a Cathedral in the small, backwater village of Kingsbridge. The story is told from the points of view of three different people: Tom Builder, a talented but empoverished stonemason who dreams of building a cathedral; Philip of Kingsbridge, a Welsh monk who's lived his life in monasterial care and has a desperate passion to reform the Church; and Lady Aliena, the daughter of a disgraced Earl who swore an oath to her dying father to restore the family honour.

It has a more recent sequel, World Without End, which is equally as awesome. It takes place during the beginning on the Hundred Years War, as well as the first waves of the Black Death.

I'm currently reading World Without End, by Ken Follet, which is a sequel to the book Pillars of the Earth. A relatively unknown book series for most, which really is a crime, as the plots are complex, the characters dynamic, dimensional, and realistic, and the immersion superior to any book I've read thus far, and I've read a LOT of books.

1984, its the 2nd time Ive had to read it for school, 4th overall, Im mostly just skimming it since Im also reading a few other books
Demon in the Closet: a book mostly about smallpox, also partially about biological warfare, its probably one of the scariest books I've ever read
Also reading Brave New World, very slowly, its pretty good although since I dont have to finish it until may I'm reading it pretty slowly.

"Everyone that posts here is aware of the game, thanks though." ET
"It is Lucasarts"~ LordJhredmo

The Millennium, by Upton Sinclair. It was one of his more obscure and unnoticed novels that he wrote after the tragedy which ended his experimental utopia, Helicon Hall. It's essentially a satire of caste systems, social evolution, and extreme capitalism. It's a nice read, albeit short and not to thought-provoking, but it's still nice.

Quote:

Originally Posted by jawathehutt

1984

Ah yes, a most excellent novel. I recommend reading Animal Farm, another novel by Orwell, which was essentially a satire of WWII-era political figures and ideals.

Great Idea! I've tried reading Dickens, but i've never been able to get very far into any of the ones i've tried so far.

If you can adjust to his self-taught style he's very readable. It is said that if you took away the name headers in a Shakespeare play, you could still tell who was speaking simply by the style, the same is probably true of Dickens. Every character speaks with their own, easily-identifiable voice or dialect.

If you want to get into Dickens then some of his shorter works, or so-called "sketches by Boz", might be your best bet. They're all written pre-Pickwick but even at age 21 you can see his judgemental, arrogant, and delightfully descriptive style flowing through. I'd recommend the 1835 sketch of Newgate prison. It essentially explains the gallows-haunted world of Oliver Twist.

I am currently reading two of Tom Clancy's books, Debt of Honor, and Red Rabbit. Both are amazing with the information they contain and the plot that keeps me absolutley captivated with it. I think I'm a fan

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rev7

Eh, I am reading The Day of Islam by Paul Williams. I'm only in the first chapter though....

I am also reading To Kill a Mocking Bird in my Language Arts class. I will probably have to write at least two essays on it...

Those are excellent books indeed, Rev! To Kill a Mockingbird is probably one of the classics

you very much If a tree would fall in the woods.....would the other trees laugh at it?

I'm reading 'American Gods' by Neil Gaiman. My brother recomended it to me.
I'm not very into it yet. Although, I might do some reading later tonight.

Keep at it. American Gods is one of my favorite books of all time.
Then check out Anansi Boys also by Gaiman. It's along the same lines with old gods in the modern world.

Quote:

Originally Posted by TriggerGod

I'm working on Ender's Game. from what I've read, I want to read the sequels.

Just be warned that while the other books are just as good they are a completely different feeling story. However the Bean series is a more spiritual sequel than the actual sequels are. So make sure you read them all!

Right now? Forgotten Realms: The Last Mythal Book I: Forsaken House by Richard Baker. Before that, Watchmen by Alan Moore. Before that, Books I-VII of The Legend of Drizzt by R. A. Salvatore. Six more to go on that one.